Moving to Argentina from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Argentina — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Argentina, you would find that Argentina is 12.9% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly ARS125,000,000 in Argentina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Guaraní and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Argentina cheaper than South Africa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 75.6% more
Groceries
pay 12.3% more
Transportation
pay 26.9% less
Housing
pay 6.7% more
Childcare
pay 29.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.5% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Argentina?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → ARS125,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Argentina
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Argentina cost about 12% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Argentina
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Africa to Argentina, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Argentina stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Argentina performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Argentina performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Argentina generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Argentina performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Argentina generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2016–2022), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Federal Administration of Public Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Argentina vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Buenos Aires |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 67°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 64°/48°F (17°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Buenos Aires |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from South Africa to Argentina?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Argentina. To live, work, or study long-term in Argentina, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Argentina's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Argentina
Visa Free
Argentina passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Argentina than South Africa?
Day-to-day costs in Argentina run about 13% higher than South Africa on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Argentina?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary, that's around ARS31,250,000 in Argentina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Argentina?
With 26.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Argentina can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Africa and Argentina.
Is Argentina safe for expats?
Argentina performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Argentina is 4.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 48% of people in Argentina feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Argentina compared to South Africa?
Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Argentina, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Argentina scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Argentina compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Buenos Aires is 73°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Buenos Aires receives around 48.7 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Argentina?
The official languages in Argentina are Guaraní and Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Argentina
At a Glance
ZA
|
AR
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 45,851,378 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Argentine Peso (ARS) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Guaraní, Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +54 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 911 |